Chapter 13. BioIdentical Hormones Relieve Anxiety

Chapter
13.

BioIdentical
Hormones

Relieve Anxiety

56 year old Susan suffered from anxiety and panic
attacks, and had been prescribed Valium™, Effexor™ and Wellbutrin™ by her
primary care doctor.This cocktail of
psychoactive drugs caused Susan adverse side effects, and didn't seem to be
helping, so she stopped taking them.A
few years ago, after she went through menopause, she started having hot
flashes, and this is when she first noticed the anxiety attacks, preceding the
hot flashes.

Estrogen
Deficiency Causes Anxiety

We sent Susan to the lab for a hormone panel, and
sure enough, Susan's estrogen level was low. Susan's symptoms were caused by
menopausal estrogen deficiency, a finding commonly seen in the post menopausal
age group. Symptoms are promptly relieved with bioidentical estradiol applied
as a topical cream twice a day.Additionally, Susan's tests revealed vitamin and mineral deficiencies
which were, no doubt, aggravating the anxiety attacks.Susan was started on her bioidentical hormone
program which included estradiol and progesterone as a balanced topical cream.
She was also started on vitamin B12 and magnesium supplements.Six weeks later, Susan reported that her
anxiety and panic attacks had improved and were almost gone.She also noticed better sleep and more
clarity of mind, and her night sweats and hot flashes had resolved as well.

Anxiety
is Associated with Hot Flashes

A study published in 2005 Menopause reported that
anxiety is strongly associated with menopausal hot flashes, and usually
precedes the hot flash episode. (13)Hot
flashes are caused by estrogen deficiency, and are treated with bioidentical
estradiol, which virtually eliminates them.(15)(16)(17)

Hot
Flashes, anxiety and panic attacks are estrogen deficiency symptoms, relieved
with bioidentical estrogen.SSRI
anti-depressants do not contain estrogen, and their use for estrogen
deficiency is an abuse and victimization of women who suffer from estrogen
deficiency.SSRI drugs should not be
used to treat estrogen deficiency symptoms.

What is the Mechanism of Action of Estrogen in Eliminating Anxiety and
Depression?

Estrogen receptors have been found in the brain, and
estrogen increases the expression of an enzyme in the brain called tryptophan
hydroxylase-2 (TPH2).This enzyme’s job
is to convert tryptophan to serotonin, an important neurotransmitter
responsible for anti-anxiety and calming effect in the brain.These estrogen receptors have been isolated
to specific areas of the brain called the DRN, or the Dorsal Raphe Nuclei (2-6).

Estrogen
Effective for Perimenopausal Depression

A
study published in the 2001 Archives of General Psychiatry evaluated
bioidentical estrogen as treatment for peri-menopausal depression.They evaluated fifty women ages 40-55 years,
suffering from a depressive disorder and irregular menstrual periods.These women were treated with bioidentical
estrogen or placebo over 12 weeks.Remission of depression was observed in 17 (68%) women treated with
bioidentical estradiol compared with only 5 (20%) in the placebo group.The authors concluded,"Transdermal
estradiol is an effective treatment of depression for perimenopausal women."(7)

Estrogen
Effective for Post-Partum Depression (after child birth)

Postpartum depression is seen in approximately 13%
of women who have recently given birth, and often remains untreated. (10)Various treatments have been tried, including
antidepressant drug therapy (SSRI's), bioidentical estrogen, individual
psychotherapy, and group psychotherapy. (10)

A study published in the 2001 Journal of Clinical
Psychiatry showed that bioidentical estrogen is effective for post-partum
depression.(8) Twenty-three women suffering from postpartum depression were
recruited from a psychiatric emergency unit.The women were treated over 8 weeks with bioidentical estradiol
(sublingual form).Baseline serum
estradiol levels were very low suggesting ovarian failure. During the first
week of estradiol treatment, depressive symptoms resolved rapidly, and serum
estradiol levels increased considerably.By the second week of treatment, 83% of patients showed clinical
recovery.

A second earlier study published in 1996 Lancet
showed that bioidentical estrogen is an effective treatment for post-partum
depression.Sixty One women suffering
from post partum depression were given transdermal estradiol (0.2 mg daily),
and rapid improvement was reported during the first month of treatment.(9)

Many women with post-partum depression are treated
with SSRI antidepressants which does not address the underlying estrogen
deficiency and ovarian failure.In my
opinion, bioidentical hormone treatment is more effective and safer than SSRI
antidepressants or other psychoactive drugs, and should be the preferred
choice.Bioidentical estrogen has none
of the adverse effects associated with SSRI antidepressants which, after all,
may end up in mother's milk, and may have adverse effects on the breast feeding
baby.

In a study published in 2001 Neurology, twenty
postmenopausal women with Alzheimer's dementia were treated with bioidentical
estradiol (0.10 mg per day, topical) and compared to placebo.Sophisticated neuropsychological tests showed
improvement in attention, and in verbal, visual and semantic memory compared
with subjects who received a placebo.(12)

Estradiol
Reduces Anxiety in Mouse Model

Alicia A. Walf examined a mouse model in which
Estradiol, a bioidentical estrogen, reduces anxiety- and depression-like
behavior of aged female mice. Her
findings were published inNeuroscience
Research in Feb 2010. (14) Matthew N.
Hill investigated the mechanism of estradiol as an anxiolytic, and he
implicated the enzyme, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), which degrades the
endocannabinoid anandamide.The enzyme,
FAAH, is regulated by estrogen.(25) This
reveals a biochemical mechanism for how estrogen relieves anxiety.Obviously, this is a fertile area for new
research, as the exact mechanism has not yet been elucidated.

(14) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19804793 Estradiol
reduces anxiety- and depression-like behavior of aged
female mice by Alicia A. Walf and Cheryl A. Frye Neuroscience
Research, The University at Albany-SUNY, United States September 2009

FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of issues of significance. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.